


Helping You Stand

by Tamuril2



Category: Gokusen (TV)
Genre: F/M, It starts off a bit dark, because there ARE allusions to rape or molesting, but that's it.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:28:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27080446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tamuril2/pseuds/Tamuril2
Summary: Odagiri Ryu hasn't been free in a long time. He's trapped and there's no quirky teacher to kick down doors to rescue him....hmmm...what about a Yakuza heiress???AU. No slash.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	1. Yakuza Night Out

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Siff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siff/gifts).



> It starts off a bit dark, because there ARE allusions to rape or molesting, but that's it. 
> 
> For Siff. I held out as long as I could, but this was as far as I could go. I wanted to surprise you with this early gift(that is nowhere near done....huzzah, I'm starting another story, while working on four others!....this will go well). I hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Ryu, get to know a little about his bad situation, and hear some off screen murders.

It’s Saturday, so all the rooms in _Sakura’s_ are rented. Every host is out, playing Greek gods to the many women flooding through the doors. Expensive drinks and loud singing are prevalent – it seems Black Pink is the choice favorite tonight. However, the closet bathroom Ryu chose is far off down the hallway, making the noise of partying and drinking is only a low steady hum. The buzzing from the overhead light helps drown out the racket even more.

Doesn’t matter.

He can’t breathe!

Ryu tries to suck in a breath, but precious little air fills his desperate lungs. It’s like trying to breathe through a tiny straw…that’s blocked. His vision blurs and feels himself sway. He quickly grips the rim of the bathroom sink tighter; the marble chilly against his sweaty hands. He can’t risk passing out.

He can’t!

_Get a grip, Ryu!_ He screams to himself. _Breathe! Stay conscious._

Sanji was so angry the last time this happened. 

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

_“You think this is a hotel, where we can just cater to you? You cost me good money!” Sanji shouts, slapping Ryu across the face. Ryu’s head snaps to the right, his cheek stinging. There’ll be a bruise there soon. Tears well up, but he forces them back. Instead, he turns again towards his enraged employer._

_“I-I’m sorry,” Ryu says quickly, lowering his eyes. “I’ll earn it back. I promise! Please –”_

_“Shut up!” Sanji grabs his shirt collar and jerks him closer. Ryu can smell the rose water sake on his breath. “Look at me.”_

_Ryu lifts his eyes._

_Sanji’s lips curl into a half sneer, his eyes narrowing to slits._

_“You embarrassed me tonight,” Sanji states with heat._

_Ryu blanches. “I –”_

_Sanji growls and hurls him at the bodyguard. “Get him out of my sight. I’ll deal with this later.”_

_…_

_He does, and Ryu never remembers screaming quite so loud or begging quite so hard before that._

_Not that it helps anything._

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

Ryu couldn’t walk for a week after that.

_Pull yourself together,_ Ryu tells his reflection. The teary-eyed boy that stares back at him looks dead inside. The stark red of some woman’s lipstick stands out against his white throat. His eyeliner is smeared. He scrubs the lipstick off his neck viciously with a paper towel, but he can still feel the hot press of her mouth against his skin regardless. Ryu closes his eyes, hot tears rolling down his cheeks, and bites his lower lip. _I can’t do it. Not tonight. Please, just…not tonight._

But he will. Because Sanji owns him, and Sanji says he’ll be out on the floor tonight. Ryu hasn’t had a say in his life for more than two years.

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

_“Do you know why I hired you, Ry-chan?” Sanji asks, staring at the red wine in his crystal glass. The older man twists the quartz stem around between his fingers. Light bounces off the expensive glass._

_Ryu swallows hard, very conscious of the two guards behind him. “No, sir.”_

_Sanji glances over at him and then focuses back on his drink. “It’s because I saw potential. Raw potential, of course, unrefined and bumbling, but potent nonetheless.”_

_Something lodges itself in Ryu’s throat and tries to choke him._

_“You’ve done so well with your training, Ry-chan.” Here Sanji puts down his glass on the table between them, leans his elbows on his knees, and clasps his hands together. “But it’s time for you to earn your keep.”_

_“S-sir?” Ryu stutters. He’d thought he_ was _earning his keep. It’s not like he_ wants _to be here; not like Sanji gave him a choice when he grabbed Ryu off the streets and gave him the ultimatum of working here or ‘disappearing’. No, he most certainly does not want to be here. And yet, Ryu’s been out on the floor, serving drinks at the bar, every night since they brought him._

_“I’ve had many Regulars asking for you,” Sanji says. “You’ve got a pretty face that just begs to be kissed.”_

_Ryu stops breathing altogether. He’s fifteen. He’s never been kissed by anyone other than his mother (and he only remembers that happening twice in his life). The idea of hundreds of women kissing him, sitting all over him, scares him more than he admits. Oh, yes, he’s a teenage boy, sure, but he’d like a say in who he kisses for his first time, thank you very much._

_It seems Sanji will take away even this little bit of freedom from him._

_“S-sir, please, I –”_

_Sanji throws back his head and laughs. “Your face!”_

_Ryu sucks in a shaky breath. Was it all a sick joke? “S-s-sir…”_

_Sanji chuckles. “Don’t worry, my puppy, I won’t throw you into the deep end right away. Innocence is all well and good, but experience needs to back it up. No one likes a blundering fool.”_

_It’s not a joke. This is really going to happen. He’s about to lose the one thing that was still his to give. His vision tunnels until all he can see is the wine glass on the table. Everything feels as if it’s happening to someone else, as if Ryu isn’t really here, but he nods anyway Sanji says his name again._

_“We’ll start on the lower floor – the teenagers will be a perfect warmup – and work you up to my business partners.” Sanji stands, uncurling as gracefully as a snake. A wicked glimmer sparks through his eyes. “They’re patient when the product is rare enough.”_

_Ryu blinks back tears. “A-am I to start tonight, sir?”_

_“My, my, so eager to please.” Sanji smirks at the guards behind Ryu. “You should take note, Ikkaku-san.”_

_“Of course, sir,” a voice like rocks rumbles._

_Sanji scans Ryu up and down like a piece of fine beef. “Yes…yes, I think we_ will _start tonight. Ikkaku-san, take him to Shimi-chan and get him dressed. I want him out on the floor with me in half an hour.”_

_A large hand wraps itself around Ryu’s bicep and gently pulls him up. No need to bruise the merchandise just right now._

_Sanji grins wide. “You’re going to be such a hit with the ladies.”_

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

The bathroom door slides open and a man curses sharply.

“I thought you said no one used this bathroom,” an unfamiliar baritone growls. Ryu shivers at the threat those few words hold. He hurriedly swallows back a sob.

“N-no one does. I checked,” another male voice stutters.

“Then, what’s this?!”

Silence.

Then a soft but firm step: “You okay, kid?”

Ryuu scrubs at his eyes and cheeks with the used paper towel. He glances in the mirror. He looks like a raccoon whose black mask is dripping down his face, but there’s nothing for it. He straightens and looks over the new arrivals. He doesn’t recognize the two men. By the formal _yukata_ of the closest one though, he’d guess yakuza.

He plasters on a smile. “I apologize for my appearance; bad shrimp. Is there anything I can help you with, sir? I know the layout can seem like a maze. I got lost quite a few times my first month.”

The scar running across the older man’s face contorts as the gentleman narrows his eyes. “You work here.”

“Yes sir.” Ryu softens his eyes and makes his smile go lopsided, even as his insides try to melt into a terrified mush.

The man stuffs his hands into his _yukata’s_ long sleeves. The dangerous aura wafting off him only seems to increase. “I see.”

Ryu tilts his head to the side in a way he knows makes him look younger. “Are you sure there isn’t anything I can do to help?”

Just as the man opens his mouth, Ikkaku’s voice whips through the outer hallway.

“Ryu-san!”

Ryu flinches. The annoyed anger in that one word says it all. Ikkaku’s been looking for him for a while, and is not happy to have been kept waiting. Which means Sanji wants him.

“Kid –” the yakuza guy starts, stepping forward again.

“I apologize, sir, but my boss needs me.” Ryu bows low. “I can send one of the other hosts to aid you, if you wish.”

The man waves a lazy hand. “No need. We were just leaving anyway.”

Tiny alarm bells sound in Ryu’s head. They’ve not used the utilities nor asked him for directions. Why did they come in here? To shoot up?

Ryu bows again.

It’s not his place to question Sanji’s guests. 

“Very good, sir.” He slips past, careful not to even brush against their clothes. And with that, he puts the strange men from his mind and focuses on finding Sanji as quickly as possible. Ikkaku finds him first. The bodyguard scans him, lets out a huff, and nods his head to the upper floor. Ryu bolts up the steps, keeping his feet graceful and his head down – wouldn’t do for the guests to see his state of disrepair. A few of the other hosts bump against him, but he pays them no mind, just as they too ignore him.

He discovers Sanji at one of the back lounges. He’s surrounded himself with ten of his closest men. All of them are tense. There are a few guns in sight. Ryu swallows hard.

“Ito-sama,” he says, bowing low and then standing straight-backed, eyes focusing a little to the left of Sanji’s head.

“Finally, I was – what happened to your face! Have you been – for kami’s sake, boy, can you do nothing right!” Sanji surges forward to his feet and grabs Ryu’s chin, jerking his head this way and that. He growls and shoves Ryu back. “Go clean yourself up. Change into that silk purple shirt while you’re at it. I want you in Room 12 in five minutes.”

Ryu stumbles. “Y-yes, sir.”

He scrambles down the hallway and bursts into the wardroom. Thankfully, no one is there to stare at him and it doesn’t take long to change clothes and reapply his makeup. He takes one minute to pull himself together – it’s obvious Sanji has a special guest lined up for him tonight – and strides to Room 12. He smiles softly as a few patrons along the way.

“Ry-san!” a young girl trills, slurring a bit. She lists to the side and Ryu catches her before she can fall. “I’ve been looking for you all night.”

Ryu chuckles, waving another host over. “I do apologize, but I’ve been booked for tonight. Perhaps tomorrow? You know I can never pass up a chance to shine with you.”

She gives him a wet grin. “You’re so handsome.”

“Your flattery humbles me,” he parrots, brushing a kiss against her flushed cheek. “Til tomorrow then?”

She whines when Ryu passes her over to the other host, but doesn’t make a scene, thank kami. Ryu continues on, up a flight of stairs, arriving at Room 12 all too soon. There are two of Sanji’s best bodyguards there, their suit jackets bulging a little from the guns hidden inside. Ryu swallows.

“Ito-sama said to expect me?” he says, suddenly worried he’s mistaken the room Sanji verbalized. What in the world is going on? Why is security so hyped up? Why all the weapons? Just who is here?

“Inside,” the guy on the left answers, sliding the door open.

Ryu glides in, eyes lowered, and stops four feet from the _chabudai_ in the middle of the room. The chamber smells of incense and _sake_. He can feel hard eyes on him, but keeps his posture loose and easy. He is but a thin sapling here; bendable and light, movable in the wind, but rooted firmly in the ground. 

“Ah, good,” Sanji says to his right. A scratchy sound and Sanji is at his side. A finger tips his head up. Ryu keeps his eyes down. “I’ll leave him for you, Oshima-sama.”

A grunt answers that. “Very well.”

Ryu’s eyes jerk up without his meaning to. They widen. It’s the same yakuza man from the bathroom – seated in a casual kneeling position on a green cushion, a tiny sneer on his lips. Ryu locks his knees to keep from stepping back. His stomach clenches and then falls somewhere in the vicinity of his feet. What does Sanji mean, Ryu is _for_ him?

Oshima waves a hand at the door. “I’ll call when we’re done here.”

Sanji stiffens at the insult, and Ryu hears the strained grin. “Of course, Oshima-sama.”

Ryu sees him bow low as he steps back out of the room. The door slides shut. Ryu wishes he were on the other side of it, instead of inside with this man and his bodyguards. One of the henchmen – the one dressed in a dragon shirt – eyes him up and down. Ryu takes a slow, deep breath in, makes his lips turn up, and bows. “Oshima-sama.”

“Sit.”

Ryu kneels and sits on the _zabuton_ with his heels tucked under him. “Shall I pour you some _sake_ , sir?”

Oshima smirks wide. “Why don’t you do that, boy. Might as well get some pleasure out of this venture.”

Ryu freezes a moment before pouring the hot _sake_ into the fragile cup. Oshima takes it, sips, and ‘ahhs’. He grins at Ryu. “At least Ito doesn’t skimp on the good stuff. So, kid, I get to find out your name this time? You clean up fast, I see.”

Ryu gives a short bow, still kneeling. “Ryu-san, sir. Twenty-one. Year of the Horse.”

Oshima snorts, as does one of his men. “Twenty-one. Right. Best not to lie to me, boy.”

Ryu swallows. “Yes, sir.”

“So, twenty-one?”

“…seventeen, sir.”

Oshima nods. “That’s better. Been here long?”

Ryu stops himself from fidgeting. Why all these questions? Is this man really yakuza? But why would any yakuza care about his age and work? Is Oshima, perhaps, an undercover cop? Is there an investigation going on?

“Well?” Oshima asks, gesturing for more _sake_.

Ryu pours. He considers lying again, but one glance at the bodyguards and Oshima’s hard gaze… “Five years, sir.”

Oshima growls before downing his _sake_. “Makoto, see to it.”

The guy in the dragon shirt grins. “Hai!”

Makoto leaves and Ryu can’t help but wish he was too. Oshima continues to stare at him. “So, five years. More sake.”

Ryu reaches over. Muffled pops and two solid thumps sound outside the door. Ryu stops and makes himself not look back at the door. It becomes harder when more pops sound and screams start from downstairs. Ryu’s hands shake.

Oshima smirks. He wiggles his cup. “Well, boy?”

Ryu tips the small _sake_ bottle and watches the steaming alcohol descend in a clear waterfall into the cup. Oshima grunts when its full.

“Any family, Ryu-san?” he asks, swirling the _sake_ in his cup.

“No, sir.”

“None? No little aunts or uncles?”

Ryu swallows. “No, sir.”

His father disowned him pretty quickly after he learned where Ryu was. He’s not had contact with ‘family’ in five years, and doubts any of them want the black mark his housing would bring. His father _is_ very influential in the upper circles, after all.

Oshima hums. “Too bad.”

The door rumbles open.

“Ah, Tetsu, back so soon,” Oshima says, his teeth flashing.

A barked laugh. “Went down like the bastard cur he was. Wet himself before he died.”

Ryu almost drops the bottle. Died? He…he knew something was going on, suspected a raid maybe, but…this sounds personal, dirty. Oshima glances over at him. Ryu remains very, very still, clutching the sake bottle.

“So, a host and no family. Tch.” Oshima shakes his head, slamming the cup on the table. Ryu grips the bottle as if it were a life preserver. Oshima stands, smoothing out his yukata. “Up, boy, I don’t have all night.”

Ryu scrambles to his feet. A bodyguard plucks the bottle from his rigid fingers. Oshima rounds the table and scans him.

“We’ll see what we can do.” He signals to someone behind Ryu. “Tetsu, look after him.”

“Hai.” A rough hand grabs Ryu’s arm tight and yanks him around. Ryu gasps at the crimson blood sprayed across the man’s face and clothes. A sword is in his right hand and even that is dripping blood onto the floor. Ryu takes a step back. The grip on his arm jerks him forward. “Going somewhere?”

“N-no, sir.”

“Ha!” Tetsu huffs. “Course I get babysitting duty. Stay there.”

Ryu doesn’t move an inch as he watches the man grab a spare towel from the table and clean his sword.

“Let’s go,” Tetsu grumbles, yanking him towards the door by his arm.

Ryu stumbles after him, practically being dragged along. Sanji’s two bodyguards are lying outside the door. Are they dead? Ryu thinks so. Down the stairs they march. More and more bodies litter the floors and couches; the bar is smashed to oblivion, blood drips everywhere. Ryu lets out a small sigh of relief that most of the bodies are Sanji’s men – it seems the hosts and guests were spared.

But why is he being singled out?

The outside air is cold against his skin – he hadn’t realized he was sweating until now. No one is on the streets or sidewalks, despite this being one of the most popular Red Light districts. That, along with the bodies they’ve just left behind them, tells Ryu just how much trouble he’s in. Tetsu waves a long black car over. “Get in.”

Ryu ducks down and slides onto the back seat. The seats are covered in plastic. They expected to have blood on them, Ryu realizes with a horrified start. Tetsu joins him seconds later, slamming the door shut. The plastic crinkles as they both get more settled into their seats. The car rolls out into the street and roars forward. They drive for a while in silence – Ryu clutching his hands together on his lap, Tetsu glaring out the window. Finally:

“We’re taking you to our main house, kid,” Tetsu says, turning towards him. Ryu sits straighter. “You know who we are?”

Ryu takes a breath and shakes his head. “No, sir.”

“Oedo Clan.”

Ryu’s vision fuzzes for a second and he realizes he’s stopped breathing. A hand shakes him hard.

“Breathe, kid.”

He exhales, willing his body not to tremble. Something solid lodges itself in his throat. He tries to swallow. Fails. Tries again and somehow gets in a squeak of a breath. Tetsu snorts through his nose.

“We ain’t gonna kill ya, boy, so quit hyperventilatin’.”

Ryu nods, licking his lips – they still have the cherry lip balm on them. “Yessir.”

Tetsu curses and lets him go. “You don’t cause any trouble and we’ll take care of things for you.”


	2. Crazy Teacher, yeah?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I bring in Kumiko and we get more backstory.

They step through a tall gate and through a well-kept garden. The smell of fresh cut grass fills Ryu’s nostrils. He can’t help but wonder if he’ll be buried somewhere on these grounds...or by the docks. What? Why wouldn’t the strongest yakuza gangs want to get rid of a loose thread? Because that’s all he is to this Family. Why else would they bring him here? Surely, it’s because they think he’s seen or done something they disapprove of. Ryu gulps quietly and is sorry he ever stepped foot into that alleyway Sanji dragged him from.

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

_The smell of rose water and sake hang in the air as the man closes in on Ryu. The man scans him up and down slowly and takes a drag of his cigarette. He grins, pushing the smoke out his nose. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing out here?”_

_Ryu swallows, hands shaking at his side. “I was just on my way home, sir.”_

_“Really?” The man sucks in another drag. “My sources tell me you’ve been skulking around here for three nights now. Renting a place down a street."_

_“I…” Ryu inches his right foot towards the exit of the alleyway. After the fight with his father – another meaningless thing about expectations and discipline – Ryu had needed to clear his head. He’d stormed out of the house – his father yelling at him that he was no longer his son if he left – and walked until he found a place no one knew him. There, he’d found a cheap motel and rented a room for a week._

_He’d been on his way there right now, but decided to take a quick shortcut through this alleyway. Stupid. How could he be so stupid? “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. I’ll just be going.”_

_“And leave without proper introductions? My, the younger generation really_ does _lack all manner, doesn’t it, Ikkaku.”_

_One of the other men nods. “Hai.”_

_“Makes one nostalgic for old times.” The man flicks his cigarette butt out of his hand. “Well, boy? What’s your name? Mine is Ito Sanji.”_

_Ryu glances towards the exit, but at least two men are blocking the way. He’ll never make it. He looks back at the leader and gives a tiny bow. “Odagiri Ryu.”_

_“Ooooo,” the man purrs. “I_ like _you. I think…yes…perfect…he would go well, wouldn’t he?”_

_Ikkaku nods again. “Yes, sir.”_

_“Good!” Ito claps his hands and spins towards the exit. “It’s decided. Ikkaku, bring him.”_

_Before Ryu can process that order, the guard is behind him and has both large hands wrapped around his arms. Ryu blinks and struggles hard. He kicks and yanks as hard as he can against the massive weight behind him._

_“Wait, what’re you doing?! Let me go!”_

_“Quiet!” Ito shouts, slapping Ryu. The sharp pain pulls Ryu up short. He stares at the man, who pats his stinging cheek. “People are trying to sleep, Ryu-chan. Come along. You and I have some business to discuss.”_

_“But I –”_

_“Are you refusing my generous invitation?” Ito asks, pulling out a handgun from his suit. He rubs the barrel against Ryu’s chest. Ryu presses back against Ikkaku._

_“N-no, sir.”_

_“Good.” Ito stuffs the handgun back into his suit pocket. “After all, you’ve been mooching off my territory for three days now. I think some compensation is in order.”_

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

They step into the modest _genkan._ Several demon masks glare down at him as Ryu slips out of his shoes and puts them to the side. Tetsu grunts and nods Ryu to follow Oshima. Tetsu then disappears through another door, most likely to get cleaned up. A henchman keeps up with Ryu, always two steps behind, until all three of them get to a room with a _chabudai_ and cushions. There, a few more men sit around the low table facing a grey-haired man. At their entrance, the man turns.

Despite his greying hair, the Head of the Oedo Clan (at least, Ryu is fairly certain this is their Head) stands straight and firm as he rises. His eyes gleam with a hard truth – what truth, Ryu can’t even fathom. The elder keeps his hands hidden in his simple, grey _yukata_ sleeves and raises an eyebrow.

“I send you out to eradicate some rats and you bring back a stray pup,” the man says.

Ryu fidgets with a corner of his shirt sleeve, the soft feel of the silk between his fingers calming his nerves.

“It seems the rumors of underage sex trafficking are true, Kuroda-sama.”

“Ah.” The Head looks Ryu up and down. “I can see why.”

Ryu grips his sleeve tight. It’s not the first time his “pretty boy” features have been alluded to, and it won’t be the last, but it still makes an ice chunk form in his stomach. Sometimes, he thinks it would be better if he took a knife to his face, marred it so badly no one would ever want him that way ever again.

“So, boy, you have a name?” Kuroda asks.

Ryu places his shaking hands on his legs and bows low. “Ryu, Kuroda-sama.”

“Family name?”

Ryu stiffens. He has none, at least none that will work. His father would be livid if Ryu even so much as breathed their name. He glances up at Kuroda, his hands shaking against his thighs.

“Come now, you must have one,” Kuroda says. Oshima nudges Ryu hard in the ribs.

Ryu swallows. “I…I haven’t one, Kuroda-sama. My…my family disowned me.”

“I see,” Kuroda muses. “What is your former family’s name then?”

“…Odagiri.” Ryu almost doesn’t get the word out – but fear of the yakuza trumps his father any day. Still, his hands tremble at his side and his stomach twists into knots as he straightens.

“Odagiri. That wouldn’t be any relationship to a certain police official, would it now?”

Ryu can tell by the tone what the Head suspects. And he is right. “He…was my father, Kuroda-sama.”

“I see. And he has disowned you, has he.” Kuroda isn’t asking, just stating, so Ryu says nothing. He keeps his eyes lowered to Kuroda’s socked feet. At last, Kuroda widens his stance. “Very well. That’s how it is.”

Whatever else the Head is going to say, Ryu never knows. For at that moment, a young woman in a red jersey tracksuit flies into the room and cheerfully announces “I’m hooome!”

“Ojou!” Tetsu and another, heavyset man swarm like flies around her, practically vibrating with excitement.

Kuroda smiles softly – something Ryu is shocked to see the older man can do. “Welcome home, Kumiko.”

Ryu’s eyes jerk up to meet this woman’s and both of their gazes widen. It can’t be…

The woman stiffens. “You!”

Every one of the henchmen turns suspicious eyes onto Ryu. Even Kuroda raises an eyebrow. Ryu backs up a step before Oshima grabs hold of his arm in a bruising grip. Ryu swallows hard. 

“What are you doing here? How did you find me?” she demands.

The suspicious eyes harden to murderous. Ryu finds he can’t breathe anymore. This is bad. Very, very bad. How is _she_ here? Why?

Kuroda steps over. “Kumiko, you know this boy?”

“He…” the woman, Kumiko – though it was Yankumi last time – shakes her head. “This is the host I told you about. The one who helped me save my student.”

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

_The kid, Kazuma Juni, can’t be older than sixteen, at best. Young, naive…stupid. He laps up all the praise Sanji heaps on him, believing every single word. The club’s closed for tonight – new renovations – so Sanji’s not even trying to be subtle about his advances._

_“You really are smart, Juni-kun,” Sanji purrs, leaning in. He swings an arm around the boy and tugs him closer. “I can see a bright future ahead for you.”_

_Juni blushes with a chuckle and sips his watered sake. “Th-thanks, Ito-sama –”_

_“Sanji-san, I insist.”_

_“…Sanji-san.” Juni swallows a delicate pastry. “No one’s ever believed in me before or…or thought I was smart.”_

For good reason _, Ryu thinks uncharitably._ You’re an idiot _._

_Ryu grimaces as Sanji laughs at something Juni says. Ryu wonders how long it’ll be before Juni learns the bitter truth; that he’s signing away his freedom and once that’s done, Sanji will own him forever. Ryu shivers. He doesn’t want to help another underaged teenager learn to smile through tears and vomit._

_But it’s Ryu’s hide or Juni’s, and when the chips are down, Ryu will do anything to avoid another beating._

_Still, Ryu slips out the back door as soon as he can. He can’t stomach watching this farce any longer. He only gets a few deep breaths in before he’s twisted around and violently shoved against the brick wall. All the air in his lungs explodes out of him in a wheeze._

_“Where is he?” a female voice demands, lithe hands gripping his wrists and pushing his arms higher up his back. “I won’t ask again!”_

_Ryu groans. “Who, he?”_

_“Kazuma Juni! My student! Where is he?!” Each sentence is punctuated by his arms being pulled up higher and higher._

_Ryu panics. He’s had dislocated arms before. He can’t go through that again. He rises to his tiptoes. “Stop! Stop! He’s inside! Inside!”_

_His arms are let down a fraction. “Where inside?”_

_Ryu licks his lips and focuses on the rough texture of the brick against his cheek. “Lounge. Ito-sama’s still buttering him up. You’ve time. No contract has been signed yet.”_

_“Contract!” the woman yelps, her grip tightening around his wrists._

_“It’s how Ito-sama gets them,” Ryu shouts, his heart picking up its pace again. “I can get you inside quicker. Please!”_

_Her hands let go of his wrists and shove him around to face her. “Jerk me around and I’ll crush you.”_

_He takes in the petite figure with flowing black hair and razor-sharp eyes, and nods. She’s_ not _kidding. And if her grip is anything to go by, she’s had some sort of training. He pushes off the wall. “Come on.”_

_He leads her inside, creeps them past the few guards and patrons, and motions her towards the Lounge. Then he hightails it to the bar and pretends he was never up there to begin with. Which is stupid, really, because all Sanji has to do is look at the security cameras to know he’s the one who let the woman in._

_A few seconds later, Ikkaku goes flying down the stairs, head over heels, followed by two more guys. Ryu blinks._

_“I’m his HOMEROOM TEACHER!!!” the woman bellows, lifting up Sanji by the front of his shirt. Ryu’s not sure, but he thinks the man may have wet himself. And also…homeroom teacher? What kind of teacher goes this far for a student? Is there some kind of student-teacher crush thing going on? Ryu shakes his head. No. That definitely wouldn’t explain her…dedication to rescuing this idiot._

_The scary teacher pulls Sanji close, inches from her face. “You will leave my precious student alone or I’ll have to take drastic measures. Understand?”_

_Sanji nods frantically. “Y-yes. Yes, of course. Juni-ku…I mean, Kazuma is free to leave whenever he wants.”_

_“I see you even peeking around my students again, I will not be this restrained.”_

_“Yes. I mean, no! I mean, I’ll leave them alone.”_

_“Good.” She drops him at the top of the stairs and drags the pale boy down and out by the front of his jacket._

_“Yankumi!” Juni whines._

_“Shut it, brat. I’m not finished with you. Do you have any idea how –” the rest of her words are lost as they exit the building._

_Ryu wonders what his life would’ve been like if he’d had a teacher like her who cared enough to risk her life to save his. He shakes his head, wiping another glass dry. Doesn’t matter. He doesn’t have someone like that. Dreaming about it will only make it hurt worse._

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

“I see,” Kuroda says, eying Ryu with some foreign new look. “Interesting.”

“Why is he here, Ojii-san?” Kumiko asks, then steps threateningly towards Ryu, her eyes narrowing. “How did you find me? Did you follow me?”

“I…” Ryu stammers and comes up blank. How’s he to convince any of them he’s not some rat or liability? He hadn’t decided to come here; they forced him to do so. He didn’t even know she was related to the yakuza until a minute ago. Although, in hindsight, it’s rather obvious – the way she creamed through Sanji and his trained bodyguards was nothing short of graceful. He winces. It was also quite painful when Sanji realized just who had let her in, regardless that Ryu hadn’t a chance against her.

“Well, punk, got an answer?” Tetsu growls, fingering a knife.

Ryu tries to take another step back, only for Oshima to pull him forward. “I…I…”

“Enough,” Kuroda says. Instantly, the men draw back and bow their heads in deference. Kuroda scans Ryu up and down again. “Quite interesting. Release him, Oshima. You say he helped you, Kumiko?”

“…yes…well, help might be an exaggeration…” Kumiko shuffles and scowls. “I threatened him and he squealed like a stuck pig.”

A few of the men laugh and Ryu blushes. What did they expect would happen when some crazy person threatens to dislocate your arms? He’s no fighter, that much should be obvious. Of course he complied.

“Kumiko,” Kuroda admonishes for some reason.

The woman blinks and grimaces. “Yes, Ojii-san...why is he here?”

“After your adventure with your student, I had some of our men look into the establishment. This Ito overstepped. I was forced to act. Ryu-san was one of his…acquisitions.”

“Acqui…He was whoring him out?!” Ryu flinches as her entire gaze centers on him. Fury burns in them. “How dare he! I’ll –”

“Enough, Kumiko, it has been seen to,” Kuroda says, straightening and seeming to ooze danger from his very pores.

She backs down, fists clenched tight, but nods. “Of course, Ojii-san. I apologize.”

“Ojou,” the henchmen breathe, eyes bright with tears. Ryu blinks. Why are they acting as if she got more than a verbal reprimand? Kuroda didn’t even slap her. What’s with these guys?

“Now then,” Kuroda says, shoulders rolling back and eyes focusing on Ryu again. “What to do with you, young man.”

“He should be in school!” Kumiko bursts out, eyes sparkling. She strikes a dramatic pose; one hand on her hip, the other pointing to a random spot on the ceiling. She beams at whatever she’s pointing at before focusing back on him. “After all, education is most important for kids his age. It decides everything for their future. I could enroll him in my school.”

“What?” Ryu yelps.

“What?!” Several other men echo.


	3. New Kid On The Block

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ryu gets into a school and into trouble, all in one morning. And we get MORE backstory (you luck, ducks, you)

“Well,” the Head Teacher, Sawatari, says, his eyebrows coming together. His eyes narrow even further, and he swipes a hand across his ridiculously gelled hair. Ryu privately thinks it makes him look like a peacock. Sawatari leans back, arms folding across his chest. “Everything seems to be in order, Yamaguchi-sensei.”

“Of course!” Kumiko chirps – chirps! What’s wrong with her? If she gets any perkier Ryu’s sure someone is going to get suspicious…well, more suspicious. Kumiko leans forward in her chair. “So, there’ll be no problem with the transfer?”

Sawatari huffs. “Why is he transferring this late in the school year?”

“Oh!” Kumiko gets misty-eyed and puts a hand to her heart. “It’s tragic really. His mother – she was single, after his father died saving a child from a runaway car – she died a few weeks ago. The only living relatives who could take him in were the Yuni’s. It’s too far from his old school. Thus, the transfer!”

She emphasizes her point by clenching her hand into a fist and bringing some tears to her eyes.

Ryu slumps in his chair. This is never going to work. The whole story is blown out of proportion. Anyone can see right throu –.

“How awful!” the female nurse – Sakai – exclaims. She clenches her stethoscope to her well-endowed chest. “Head Teacher, you simply _must_ let him transfer!”

“His grades are good,” a male teacher – Ando – comments, flipping through the fake file the Oedo clan rushed together. Their gym teacher, if his jersey is anything to go by. The paper crinkles as the man stops close to the end of the documents. His eyebrows shoot up towards his receding hairline. “Might raise our standards to have him.”

Sawatari’s gaze turns ambitious and almost predatory as he looks over at Ryu. A grin creeps across his face. Kumiko grins back so hard there might as well be sparkles around her and sits up straighter. Ryu resists the urge to punch both of them. He is not some prize horse to be showcased! He resolutely ignores the small voice in his head that insists _but you are…and worse._

“I suppose we could make an exception…” Sawatari says slowly.

“Excellent!” Kumiko shouts, pounces really. She turns to Ryu. “Could you sit out in the hallway? We just have a few things to go over. Boring teacher stuff.”

Ryu glares but stalks out and sits in the chair by the door. Someone slides the door shut and the voices inside are muffled. Ryu stuffs down the hurt feeling that his life is _still_ not his own that’s stifling him. He didn’t get a say in whether he wanted to go to school – let alone this school – he didn’t get a say in his clothes, his backstory, not anything. Ryu bites his lip. And that’s not even going into what the yakuza will probably want in return for all these…favors.

“Soooo, you’re the new transfer,” a voice says to his right. Ryu starts and glances over. A student is leaning against the wall, arms folded across his chest. He smirks at Ryu. “I’m Fujita Gin. Senior class of 1-A.”

Ryu snorts and resists the urge to roll his eyes. The way the boy says this, it’s as if he’s a prince or some bigwig, not a student just like Ryu.

“Well, are you the transfer student?” Fujita presses.

“So, what if I am?”

The boy scoffs and straightens. He leans forward into Ryu’s face, arms still folded. “So disrespectful to your upper classmate. You should know your place.”

He pats Ryu’s cheek. Ryu sees white and then black.

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

_Sanji grabs Ryu’s arm hard enough to bruise and yanks him closer. “What made you think you had the right to refuse her?”_

_Ryu gulps, his gaze never leaving Sanji’s, for fear that he might miss some clue as to how bad this is going to be. “I-I’m sorry, s-sir. I –”_

_“She didn’t ask for much. A few kisses and an evening meal.” Sanji sneers. “Your attitude humiliated me.”_

_“I –”_

_“Shut up!” Sanji shouts, shaking Ryu by the arm. “I don’t want to hear your pathetic excuses.”_

Then, why ask for them? _Ryu wants to say, but knows better than to do so. He bobs his head in affirmation instead. Any saliva in his mouth dries like water in a desert._

_“You should know your place by now, Ryu.” Sanji lets go and snaps. One of his bodyguards appears– Ikkaku (because of course Ikkaku is nearby). Sanji scans Ryu up and down. He growls. “What is your place, boy?”_

_Ryu freezes. “Wherever you say, sir.”_

_“Exactly.”_

_Ryu stays very, very still._

_Sanji saunters over to the couch, sinking into its luxurious pillows. He crosses his legs and leans back, arms spread wide. “Does Ikkaku need to have another conversation with you?”_

_“No!” Ryu swallows. “I-I mean, no sir.”_

_“Good. Now, you will go back out there, apologize to Ms. Chan, and tell her that you’ve realized your schedule_ does _allow you to accept her most generous offer.” Ikkaku seizes a handful of Ryu’s hair and jerks him forward until he’s inches from Sanji’s face. “Anything she asks for, you do it, no questions, no excuses. Understood?”_

_“Yessir,” Ryu rasps, tears prickling the edges of his eyes._

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

When Ryu’s vision comes back, his arms are being held by the gym teacher, Ando, and the other student is howling on the floor, clutching his bloody nose.

_I hit him,_ Ryu realizes. He swallows hard and glances at Kumiko. Her eyes are wide, her mouth in a perfect “Oh”. The other teachers are gathered behind her, grouped together by the doorway.

“What happened here!” Sawatari yells, stepping into the hallway, his arms flailing.

“He hit me for no reason!” the other boy screams. “All I did was introduce myself, and he hit me.”

“Why you little –” Sawatari starts, rounding to face Ryu. Ryu shrinks back on instinct.

“Is that true, Yuni-san?” Kumiko interrupts.

“Wha…Yamaguchi, you can’t be questioning Fujita.” Sawatari gapes. “He’s our top student! This piece of trash isn’t –”

“Is it true?” Kumiko presses, totally ignoring the Head Teacher.

Ryu clenches his hands into fists and looks away. “Yes.”

Maybe not completely true, but close enough. No one will care that Fujita mocked Ryu or touched him without permission. They’ll only care that Fujita is their top student and Ryu hit him.

“Yamaguchi-sensei,” Sawatari starts, “in light of this violence, I don’t think –”

“Put him in my class,” Kumiko says. “It won’t make a difference. He’s at their grade level. And that way his future isn’t ruined by one bad call.”

“As if it won’t be if he goes into _that_ class,” the science teacher whispers. Kumiko glares, but refrains from the tongue-lashing Ryu knows she wants to give the man.

“He has been a model student until now,” Sakai murmurs. “Why not give him another chance, Head Teacher?”

Sawatari and Kumiko do some bizarre, intense stare-off.

“Very well” Sawatari grounds out at last. “He’ll fit right in with the other trash of 3-D. But you are responsible for any of his future actions, Yamaguchi-sensei. He will also be expected to write an apology letter to Fujita and pay for any medical bills.”

“Of course,” Kumiko agrees. The grip on his arms is loosened and he’s shoved over to her side. He still can’t look at her. She bows low, her foot kicking his ankle. He bows too. She straightens and grins, her teeth reminding Ryu of a shark’s. “You won’t regret this.”

“I already do,” Sawatari mumbles, stepping back into the teacher’s lounge. The others follow after him like little ducklings. Sakai guides Fujita away to fix his nose.

As soon as the door slides shut and they’re alone, Kumiko yanks him down the hallway. She pulls them into a corner and slams him against the wall. “What was that? Were you trying to embarrass me? We worked hard to get you in here on such short notice.”

_You think all this comes for free?_ Ito’s voice echoes in Ryu’s head.

Ryu teeters between curling up and crying out for forgiveness and yelling. He opts for the one that might get him in trouble, but will also show backbone. He’s tired of crying and scraping by in life. He shoves her back. “I’m not letting them walk all over me.”

She glares. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Some kid touches me, I’m going to do something about it.” Ryu folds his arms across his chest.

She blinks. “Fujita touched you? How? Where? Did he –”

“He patted my cheek. Told me to know my place.” Ryu looks down, gritting his teeth. “I am not…my place is not below him.”

“Ryu-san…he is your upperclassman.”

“I am not bowing to him!” Ryu spits out. He waits, tensing his body in preparation for a hit.

She sighs. “No, of course not. I’m sorry.”

“What?” Ryu jerks his gaze back up to meet hers. Why’s _she_ apologizing? She hasn’t done anything wrong.

“I should have asked you again, trusted that you wouldn’t just fly off the handle without cause.” She bites her lip. “I will do better in the future.”

She couldn’t have surprised him more than if she’d grown three heads.

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

The Head Teacher watches Ryu as if he’s about to commit some sort of crime. Going to the bathroom? Sawatari’s there. At English class? Sawatari’s peacock hair is peeking in through the glass window. Packing up for the day? Sawatari growls a warning as he passes by.

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

_Ryu feels Sawatari's looming before he actually sees the peacock haired man. The hairs on the back of his neck raise and a chill rushes down his spine. After so many years in Sakura, Ryu's sixth sense is not just fine tuned, it's extra sensitive to these types of things._

_He turns a little and side-eyes the adult. He says nothing when Sawatari raises an eyebrow. If the man wants to know something, he's going to have to initiate the conversation._

_“Leaving so late, Yuni-san?” Sawatari says at last, drawling the surname at the end._

_Ryu shrugs. “Studied in the library and lost track of time.”_

_True...even if he stayed because Kumiko asked him to do so (she doesn't trust him walking in dangerous neighborhoods by himself)._

_“I seeee...” Sawatari leans in close, the smell of old sushi washing over Ryu’s face. “I'm watching you, boy, make no mistake!”_

** 0/0/0/0/0 **

It’s rather creepy, truth be told. Kind of like having a stalker – which Ryu’s had before.

“Just ignore him,” Kumiko says at evening meal, pausing in getting more meat from the hotpot. “He’ll get bored eventually and move on to the next juicy scandal.”

Which will most likely be in her (and his) class, so that’s no help. Ryu knows he’ll be lumped in with whatever violence those idiots decide to do. He scowls down at his bowl of vegetables and broth.

“How is your class coming along?” Kuroda asks, sipping his _sake_.

“Well,” Kumiko says. She tilts her head to the side. “Though one of them did threaten to hit me with a baseball bat again.”

“What!” Tetsu yells, grabbing a sword from the wall. “I’ll kill the brat! How dare he –”

“Tetsu, sit down,” Kumiko says. “He’s just a stupid kid, mouthing off.”

“ _Hai_!” Tetsu sits down, though Ryu notices the sword is set down by his side.

Kumiko snorts and shakes her head. “And Hayato is still insisting that I’m some sort of bitch.”

“Want me to silence him?” Oshima growls, pulling a gun from the inside of his shirt.

“Stop that.” Kumiko glares. “I can handle my own battles.”

“Of course.” Oshima nods and puts the gun back inside his jacket.

Ryu blinks and wonders how they’ve all survived to adulthood, if this is how quickly they fly off the handle.

Kuroda chuckles. “Forgive them, Kumiko. You’re still their little girl.”

“I’m a grown woman,” she grumbles, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she ducks her head.

“You’ll always be special to this family,” he tells her.

She smiles shyly at them all. “You guys…”

Ryu swallows bile. The rest of the family laughs and goes back to eating. Ryu stares at his meal. No one has ever thought of him as special, as something to be protected, only to be used and extorted. Even his parents treated him that way.

Why is that?

What’s wrong with him?

Why does no one care for him as a person, instead of an object?

Even at the school, the teachers only see him as someone to hide and his fellow classmates just want to fight him. He glances at the yakuza around him. He wonders how long it will take before they begin to ask for a return on their gifts. He shivers.

“Are you all right, Ryu-kun?” Kumiko’s voice asks.

Ryu looks up to find all of them staring at him. He resists the urge to lean away. “Fine. Just tired.”

“Oh.” Kumiko nods. “You did have that big math test today. Don’t worry. I’m sure you passed.”

Ryu takes a bite of meat, so he doesn’t have to reply or smile. He hums instead. She shrugs. Kuroda looks at him with a weird, knowing gaze. Ryu kind of hates him for it. What does the old man know about Ryu? Nothing. He might think he knows it all, but he doesn’t. And Ryu’s going to keep it that way for as long as he can.


	4. Honor Isn't Paramount? Says Who?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ryu bows to help a classmate, and we somehow gets no flashbacks (weird)

Ryu hears Takeda before he sees him. He’s just opened the bathroom door when the sounds of someone gagging reach his ears. He pauses. This isn’t his problem. He can always go to the other restroom down the hall. He sighs, seeing the black and grey backpack with the purple star on it. Takeda.

Well, now he can’t leave. If Kumiko learns he left a fellow classmate like this, the speeches would never end. He saunters in and knocks on the stall door. “Takeda-san?”

A shaky breath from inside. “H-hai. One moment. I-I’m almost…(a stifled sob)”

“Takeda-san? Is everything okay?”

“Y-yes.” Another gag.

Ryu raises his eyes to ceiling. How is this his life? He rolls one shoulder, remembers all the times he wished someone had listened to the tone of his words instead of the sentence, and knocks harder. “I’m coming in, so you better unlock it.”

The door clicks and Ryu steps in. His chest tightens at Takeda’s pale, sweaty face and trembling hands. Poor kid. He hunches down and rests his arms on his knees. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Takeda spits out a curse word Ryu knows he learned from Yabuki.

Ryu raises an eyebrow. “Well, that was unnecessary.”

“I…” Takeda looks away, biting his lip. Ryu waits. Takeda, from what he’s observed, is a nice kid. Ryu just needs to be patient to find out what’s wrong. At last, Takeda whirls around to face him. “I c-can’t do this, Yumi-san! T-this fight, it’s…”

Ryu frowns. So, that’s it. The stupid rivalry between the Ara High and Akadou schools. It’s gotten so out of hand that, after the latest turf scuffle, both sides had decided to do a final ‘showdown’. A fight between both Upper Classmen, to see which school was top dog. Kumiko has been trying to mediate, but Ryu knows both groups have already privately decided the warehouse in which to fight.

“I-I know it’s lame,” Takeda says, looking away again. “I can – I’ll be ready!”

Ryu realizes that he took too long and now the kid thinks his frown was about him, instead of the silly fight. He reaches over and nudges Takeda’s shoulder. “It’s not lame to be scared. It keeps you safe. What’s bothering you the most?”

“M-my Mom. She’s been so proud of me. I’m going to graduate in two years. She…she didn’t think that would happen. I didn’t think that would happen! But…but if we fight then…”

Ryu hums. “Then we could be expelled.”

“Yeah.” Takeda sighs. “My Mom is so happy. She’s even saving up money for a graduation party.”

Ryu leans his head back against the stall. He thinks about all the times he wishes someone would save him, of how he hated being forced into things, and decides. “I’ll take care of it.”

  
“What?”

  
He feels Takeda’s stare. He smiles briefly before becoming serious and looks into the younger boy’s eyes. “I got this. You don’t have to worry.”

  
“R-really? Just like that?” Takeda narrows his eyes. “How?”

  
“Doesn’t matter.” Ryu stands. “Let’s get you washed up and ready for class. Yankumi will start spouting her ‘Math Matters’ if we’re late.”

  
Takeda laughs – it’s still a little watery, but Ryu will take it – and pushes up. “She’s so stupid sometimes.”

0/0/0/0/0

Ryu bounces on his toes as he eyes the warehouse. He’s thought long about this, but can’t come up with any other idea. Yabuki isn’t willing to back down, so Ryu has to appeal to the other side to call this off. He stuffs his hands into his pant pockets and walks in. The place smells like gym socks and skunk. Typical, elitist boys – preaching how much better they are, while still doing illegal stuff themselves. Ryu shrugs, their funeral. He’s got better things to worry about than their stupid long-term decisions.

  
Ryu gets a few feet away before anyone notices him (idiots, it’s like they’re asking to be shanked!).

  
“Hey, who are you?!” an underling yells, pointing his steel bar at the newcomer.

  
Ryu stops. “Yo.”

  
The boy who must be the leader glares from his couch (how did they get a couch in here?!) “Who are you?”

  
“Yumi Ryu, Akadou High.”

  
“Really,” he snaps his fingers and Ryu is surrounded by laughing boys and cheap weapons.

  
Ryu stays loose and ready. “Came to talk.”

  
“Well then, talk, _baka_.”

  
“This fight isn’t going to help any of us. The idea that no one is going to squeal to the cops is stupid. We’ll all get arrested and then end up at a reform school.” Ryu shrugs. “I’d rather skip that.”

  
The red-haired boy leans forward. “What’s Yabuki think about this?”

  
“Yabuki isn’t important.”

  
A barked laugh. “Oh, this is good! You’re going behind his back, aren’t you? What a lousy leader he must be, to have such weak control over his minions!”

  
A few others laugh too.

  
Ryu straightens. “So, you’re not interested?”

  
“Didn’t say that, now did I? Sato Jin. And I agree, this is silly. Akadou should know its place by now.” The boy sits back and sprawls his twig-thin limbs. “So, what do you suggest, Yumi?”

  
“What terms would allow you to call off the fight?” Ryu asks, his toes curling in his shoes.

  
“Hmmm….” Sato looks him up and down, his lips curling into a toothy grin. “Bow.”

  
Ryu freezes. “What.”

  
“Bow to us. Properly. In front of me.”

  
Ryu’s stomach tightens and his throat closes. “Something else.”

  
“Nope. That’s it.” Sato laughs. “Guess you weren’t as serious as I thought. Boys, escort him out. We’ve got a fight to prepare for.”

  
“Wait!” Ryu sidesteps a minion. Sato raises a hand and the others pause. Ryu takes a breath in. “That’s the only way?”

  
“Yep.”

  
Ryu knows this is a humiliation tactic. He knows this is Sato is trying to embarrass him. He knows that. He hates it. He wanted this part of his life to be over…but…Takeda and his mother are counting on him. Ryu steps in front of Sato and gets to his knees.

  
Sato’s eyes widen before narrowing as he grins. “Well?"

  
“Please,” Ryu bows until his head touches the dusty floor. “Call off the fight.”

  
He stays down.

  
Silence.

  
Then: “Fine. It was stupid anyway. I’ll announce it over text.”

  
Ryu gets up, murmurs a ‘thank you’, and leaves without running. The boys behind him laughing and whistle. He walks outside and down the alleyway. He strides along the dirt path by the docks. He waits until he is sure no one is following him and then throws up.

0/0/0/0/0

He recognizes the exact moment Yabuki is told. The older-by-two-months boy’s phone pings. He glances at it, stops, rereads the text, and then slowly looks up to glare murder at Ryu. Ryu stares at him. Tsuchiya notices their stare-off first.

  
“Yo, what’s up?” he asks their head.

  
“Sato’s called off the fight.”

  
“What!” everyone shouts, crowding closer.

  
“Why?”

  
“Cowards, probably got scared!”

  
“We’re awesome!”

  
Yabuki grips his phone. “Shut up!”

  
Stunned silence.

  
Hyuga swallows. “What’s wrong?”

  
“It seems someone took it upon themselves to visit them.” Yabuki stands, his eyes never leaving Ryu. “And bow and apologize for us.”

  
All heads whirl toward Ryu, eyes darkening and fists clenching. Ryu stays seated. He can’t afford to show how terrified he is. He never apologized, but it figures Sato would claim otherwise. No one’s going to believe that, though, so there’s no use in protesting. He’s already dead anyway. Takeda’s face drains of color and he opens his mouth to ruin everything.

  
“The fight was stupid to begin with,” Ryu says, before Takeda can speak.

  
Yabuki stalks up and grabs Ryu by his shirt. He yanks him up. “Who said you got to call that?”

  
“Me.”

  
“I’m the leader of this class!”

  
“Not my leader.” Ryu pushes the other boy away, hard. “A good leader wouldn’t sacrifice his friends like that.”

  
“Why you…” Yabuki swings a fist. Ryu ducks before he realizes it was a fake for a kick. He flies back into the lockers, his head slamming against the steel. Stars burst in his vision and he doesn’t have time to defend himself before everyone is getting a hit in. It all blurs into one pain until he hears Kumiko’s voice yelling and sees her red pant legs in front of him.

  
“What do you think you’re doing!” She screams. “He’s your comrade. You can’t just –”

  
“He is no comrade of ours,” Yabuki snarls. He gets in her face. “A comrade wouldn’t bow to the enemy and apologize.”

  
“What?” Kumiko whispers.

  
“We don’t want a coward in our ranks.” Yabuki kicks a chair and storms out, the others following quickly.

  
Ryu coughs, the taste of blood filling his mouth. Kumiko kneels down. Her eyes are hard.

  
“Did you do that, Odagiri?” she demands.

  
Ryu pulls himself up, his ribs grinding against each other. He winces. “Yes.”

  
“Why?! Odagiri, honor –”

  
“Honor is stupid if it gets your comrades killed,” Ryu hisses.

  
Kumiko growls, but Sawatari rushes in.

  
“Yamaguchi-san! Yamaguchi-san! 3-D just rushed out! You have to stop them. They’re up to something, I can feel it. You’re their homeroom teacher. It’s your responsibility to do something!”

  
Ryu chooses that moment to escape himself.

0/0/0/0/0

He sneaks into his room through an open window on the roof. There are raised voices downstairs. Ryu kneels down and peers though a hole in the floor. The whole family is having some sort of meeting, from what he can see.

  
“He apologized?!” Tetsu roars. Ryu flinches, but stays. Tetsu springs to his feet. “That little punk.”

  
“Sit down, Tetsu! Should have known he would be a coward,” Oshima grumbles.

  
“He said ‘honor is stupid if it gets your comrades killed’” Kumiko says, sipping some sake.

  
“That punk!” Oshima gets up. “I’ll beat him for disrespecting you like that!”

  
Kuroda hmms into his cup. “He’s not wrong.”

  
“Boss?”

  
“Oji-san…what do you mean?” Kumiko breathes.

Ryu would like to know too. He wasn’t expecting that response from the family head.

  
“There are times honor must be put aside to do what is right. I, myself, had to do just that when I was young.” Kuroda gulps down his own sake, waving an underling to refill it. “Of course, afterward, I had to satisfy honor as well.”

  
“Oji-san…” Kumiko glances at his hands.

  
Kuroda chuckles. “Nothing so dramatic, granddaughter. My nails were ripped off, but I kept my fingers.”

  
“Right,” Oshima pushes up. “Tetsu, Minaru, keep an eye out for the kid. He’s dishonored the family. We’ll deal with this in-house.”

  
Ryu doesn’t stay to hear more (if he had, he would have heard Kuroda berate his men and remind them that it’s between the school boys to fix this, and he is Kumicho, only he will decide is their family’s honor is at stake).

  
Ryu slips out onto the roof and into the dark streets.

0/0/0/0/0

Ryu hugs his legs to him and watches the lights from across the river shimmer in the water in front of him. The wind picks up a little, biting into his thin jacket. Doesn’t matter. He’s dead anyway. Stupid, stupid, stupid. How did he not think of this? He groans, fingernails digging into his wrists. Because he got so caught up in playing the hero, in the fact that someone confided in him, that he forgot everyone else.

  
Ryu slumps and rests his head on his knees. What else was he supposed to do? Ignore Takeda?

  
The grass behind him rustles and the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Kumiko sits down beside him. “It’s getting cold, kid.”

  
Ryu refuses to even look at her.

  
“You made everyone worried. Oji-san even sent the men out to look for you.”

  
Ryu pulls his legs in tighter. “Sorry.”

  
She sighs, leaning back on her hands. “I texted him. They’re back home now.”

  
She says nothing for a few minutes, letting him simmer in his own fear.

  
“I didn’t apologize,” Ryu says at last.

  
“The text says you did.”

  
“He lied.”

  
“You didn’t bow?”

  
Ryu shoots a small glare at her. “Of course, I did. I didn’t apologize though.”

  
“Bowing is the same thing,” she tells him.

  
He ruminates on that rather disturbing statement before asking, his tongue almost sticking to the roof of his mouth: “How many nails?”

  
“Huh? How many…?!” She frowns. “You heard that? When were you home?”

  
Ryu shrugs. “How many?”

  
He’d rather be prepared. Not knowing is always worse than knowing.

  
“We’re not…” she shakes her head. “Oji-san reminded us that it’s between you and your classmates to fix your friendship.”

  
Ryu snorts. “We were never friends.”

  
“That’s not – fine,” she sighs. “But it is up to you to mend this dishonor.”

  
“Fine.” Ryu gets up. “Sorry, to keep you out.”

  
“Odagiri-san?” Kumiko asks, as she straightens up too.

  
“I’ll fix it,” he lies. There’s no fixing this. Yabuki won’t allow it.

0/0/0/0/0

Three weeks in, Kumiko also admits this.

0/0/0/0/0

Ryu is transferred into class 3A.

  
Fujita grins wide as Ryu walks in.


End file.
